Metallurgical gas-furnace



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(No'ModeL) I W. W. WAPLINGTON.

METALLURGICAL GAS- FURNACE. No. 2594653. Patented June 13, 1882..

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W. W. WAPLINGTON.

METALLURGICAL GAS FURNACE.

No; 259,653. Patented June 13, 1882.

. 114 M ul.

I UNITED STATES Farce.

PATENT WILLIAM W. WAPLINGTON, OF HALIFAX, NOVA SOOTIA, CANADA, ASSIGNOBOF ONE-HALF TO ARTHUR G. MGKEE, OF STEUBENVILLE, OHIO.

METALLURGICAL GAS-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 259,653, dated June 13,1882.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM WILsON WAF-LINGION, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada,

have invented a new and useful Metallurgical Gas-Furnace, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gasfurnaces for heating,puddling, boiling, steelmelting, and other metallurgical purposes, and

[O for melting glass in pots and in continuous furnaces, in which thegas producer or producers, gas-fines, air-fines, air and gas valves,regulators, heat-retaining fines. and workingchamber are combinedin onebuildingor structure; and the objects of my invention are to economizefuel and space, and to obtain an efficientfuruace for the purposes abovenamed at a greatly reduced cost, consequent on the simplicity ofconstruction. I attain these ob- 2o jects by devices illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which form part of the specification, in which-Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of my improvements asapplied to a heating-furnace, showing workin g-ch am ber, gas-prod ucer,tines, valves, and regulators. Fig. 2 is a view of furnace with topremoved, showing workingchamber, gas-fines, heat-retaining fines,doorways to working-chamber, fuel-boxes, and

0 stoke-holes for gas-producer. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectionat A A, Fig. 1, showing section of gas-producer, gas-fines, andworkingchamber of furnace, also fuel-box and chute for supplying fuel togas-producer, and grate-bar bearers and ash-hole of gas-producer. Fig. 4is a transverse vertical section at H E, Fig. 1,showingsectionsofworking-chambeggastiues, arched openings, (givingaccess to both sides of ash-hole,) and arched recess in same forworking-gear of valves and for air-passage. Fig 5 is a detail view,showing a method of operating the pinion gearing into the rack-bar onthe shaft of the valves by means of a crank. The light shaded lines fromleft to right are in- 5 tended to re 'iresent fire-brick work, and theheavier shaded lines from right to left represent common brick-work. Thedotted space represents sand.

Similar letters ref er to similar parts throughout the several views.

I will now describe my invention, so that others skilled in the art towhich it appertains may apply the same.

The working-chamber D D may be formed to best suit the purpose for whichitis intended.

A is the gas-producer, built under the center of working-chamber, and ofcapacity suitable for intended furnace.

From top of producer A are gas-dues B B, through which the gases flow toeach end 0t working-chamber D D alternately, the direction of flow beinggoverned by the position of the gas-valves V V, and the quantity of gasallowed to flow being controlled by the regulating-tiles M M, which areswung and arranged so as to admit of a full flow or any less quantity ofgas that may be required.

The gas-fines above the regulating-tiles are contracted in one directionand elongated in the other until they resolve into long narrow 7o slitsin the bridge of the working-chamber at G O, forcing the gases to enterthe combustion or working chamber in a wide thin sheet, the form mostfavorable to rapid combustion.

The air necessary for the combustion of the gases enters the archedrecess at II in the arched openings H H, and passes down through thevalve-openinginto thetlueE,theuce up said flue into working-chamber D D,where, coming in contact with the sheet of hot gases fromthe 8oproducer, combustion takes place.

The courses of the currents of air and gases are indicated by the shortarrows, and the course of the spent gasesis indicated by the longarrows, which, it will be seen, pass from the working-chamber downthrough tlues E at the end of furnace and enter into the wasteflue F,which leads to stack or chimney.

V V are the gas-valves. V V are the airvalves.' Gr G are toothed wheelsworking into rack-bars a for raising and lowering gas and air valvessimultaneously. N N are sheet-iron sliding doors for regulating supplyof air.

The flues E E are divided into several narrow fines by tiles offire-brick or other refractory material, extending across the flue inthe direction of the length of the furnace and from top of the fluenearly to the bottom of same, leaving sufficient space at bottom forcleaning-out purposes. These tiles are placed looselyin recesses madefor the purpose in the flue-walls, their position and arrangement be ingshown at E E, Fig. 2. These subdivided fines serve the purpose of heatretainers.

By changing the position of the valves at each end of the furnace thecurrents of air and gases are reversed, and the heat absorbed from thewaste gases in the flues EEis carried back into the furnace by theair-currents.

The gases from the producer enter the working-chamber sufficiently hotto insure rapid combustion by combining with the heated air passing upthrough the already heated fines The valves V V are on the samerack-bar, and are consequently raised and lowered simultaneousl y. Thevalve V serves the double purpose of an air-valve and a spent-gas valve.iVhen the valves at either end of the furnace are up the gases from theproducer and the air-supply are shut off at that end and the outlet forthe waste or spent gases is opened. For heating the furnace one pair ofthe valves must be up and the other pair down, andthe currents may bechanged at will simply by changing the positions of the valves. Thevalves may be worked by a single lever, or by each pair having anindependent lever; butI prefer the single lever and connecting-rodbetween the two toothed wheels, so that one motion of the lever changesthe position of all the valves simultaneously. 7

The arched openings H H may be dispensed with in the case of very shortfurnaces, and the arched recesses containing rack-wheels andair-regulating doors may be made at right angles to the position shownin drawings. The spent-gas flues F F converge and run into one fluebefore entering stack or chimney.

The valves, valve-seatings, and gas-regulating tiles are made offire-clay or other refractory material, and the portions of the rackbarsexposed to heat are protected by sleeves of fire-clay or otherrefractory material.

Fig. 2 shows more clearly the position and arrangement of gas and airflues.

It will be seen that the air-fines or heat-retainers E E and gas-fines 0O extend the whole width of the working-chamberD D. The object of thisis to deliver the gases into the working-chamber in a wide thin sheet,and to afiordinthetluesEEaslargeanamonntofheatabsorbing surface aspossible for the absorption of heat from the spent gases. The airpassing up through the flues E E, being subdivided and highlyheated,enters the workingchamber in the most favorable condition forcombining with the gases issuing from the flue O.

The subdivision of the heat-retaining flues by tiles gives facility forrepairs, as by removing a portion of the crown of the furnaceimmediatelyoverthetluesany worn-ontorburnedout tiles may be removed andnew ones substituted.

The fuel-boxes J J may be placed in any position where they willefficiently feed the gasproducer without obstructing any other part ofthe furnace, but preferably at the back of the furnace. The fuel-boxesmay he the ordinary valve'bottom boxes with weighted levers L L.

The sight-holes or stoke-holes S S S may be placed where they can beused to best advantage.

K K are the charging and drawing doorways of furnace. These doorways maybe placed to suit the particular kind of furnace required.

Fig. 3 shows vertical cross-sections at A A of working-chamber D l),gas-producer A, grate-bar bearers M M M, ash-hole O, fuel-box J, andlever for same, L.

Fig. 4 shows vertical cross-sections at H H of workingchamber D D,gas-fines B B, arched openings H, and arched recess I. The gas-fines B BB are so divided as to giveastrong support to bottom of working-chamber.

The gas-producer may be the ordinary gasproducer used for gas-furnace;but the outside walls will vary with the size and purpose for which thefurnace is intended.

To obtain the best results from this furnace the currents of air andgases must flow into the working-chamber at each end alternately atintervals varying wi.h circumstances; but when the furnace is quite hotthe intervals will be about twenty minutes.

I am aware that it is old in metallurgical gas-furnaces to place thegas-generator immediately under the metallurgic furnace, and I thereforelay no claim to such construction, my invention being confined to thecombinations of devices set forth in the claims.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a metallurgical gas-furnace, thework ing-chamber D, provided on each side with the flues E G, and valvesV V, also on each side, constructed and connected as described, wherebya movement of the same in one direction opens the induction-ports of thefines and a movement in the opposite direction closes theinduction-ports and opens the port of eduction-flue F, in comhinaiionwith the gas-producing chamber A, arranged under said working-chamber,flues B B, and ail-chambers I, substantially as described.

2. In a metallurgical gas-furnace, the working-chamber D, provided oneach side with the flues E G, valves V V, arranged on each side, as setforth, rack-bars a, and cog-gears G, in combination with gas-producingchamber A, arranged under the working-chamber, gas-fines B, air-chamberI, and spent-gas fines F, substantially as described.

3. The working-chamber I), provided with the tines E O, alternatelyclosing and opening valves V V, rack-bars a, and cog-gears G, incombination with the gas-prmlucing chamber A, arranged under theworking-chamber, gaspipes B, air-chambers I, and spent-gas tubes F,adapted to receive said valves, substantially as described, and for thepurpose set forth.

. WILLIAM WILSON WAPLINGTON.

Witnesses:

JAMES S. FRUIT, FRANK B. TEST.

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